Wire Lengths

[macrafic]

I'd like to wire my wings before I put them away and start the fuselage. The question I have is how much length of wire beyond the most inboard rib of the wing to leave in order to allow routing to the instrument panel with appropriate service loops, etc..? Not everything will be going to the instrument panel (for instance, my lights will be connected to a wig-wag flasher somewhere in the cockpit, which would then go to the instrument panel), but I'm thinking if I leave enough wire to reach the instrument panel, that would cover everything. Would appreciate any information from those who have completed the wiring.

 

[Davepar]

I've been doing it the other way around. I wired everything in the fuse and left extra length where it exits the side. The wing length is much easier to estimate than the length needed inside the fuse.

 

[pierre smith]

Terminals

We used Radio Shack terminal blocks just inside the fuselage, screwed to the side. Then we ran the nav light/landing light wires to that terminal from the instrument panel. This way, you don't need much wire outside the wing and if you ever need to remove the wings, you just unscrew them from the terminal blocks, under the seats.

We added a BNC connector to the coax since we have a VOR antenna in one wingtip and a Marker beacon antenna in the other. The mating BNC connector is also near the side of the fuselage and is easily disconnected.
Regards,

 

[mgomez]

Do you want the wings to be removable easily?

If you decide later on to remove the wings, do you want to have to break connections at the instrument panel?

I terminated my wing wires with a DB-9 connector. Another one goes from just inside the fuselage to the switches in the panel. If the wings have to come off, I just have to unplug that connector.

 

[scard]

If my wings have to come off after final assembly, something really bad will probably have happened and I'll be perfectly happy to simply clip everything at the root with wire cutters and figure out the rest later. No root disconnects for me. Oh, yeah, more to the point of this thread, I'm doing like Dave and wiring everything in the fuselage and leaving generous lengths of everything to pull through the wings.

 

[mgomez]

Another possibility

I haven't attached my wings yet. However, I used the DB-9 connectors at the wing root so that I can wire the wings (done) separately from the fuselage (not done.)

Also, I'll probably assemble the airplane in my backyard before I cart it out to the airport, since I can work more comfortably at home...so I expect at least two assembly cycles.